When can I introduce peas to my baby?

You can offer peas to your baby (with your doctor’s consent, of course) from 6 months of age.

You’ll often see jars of commercially prepared pea puree marketed as a ‘first food’ – although, in our experience, pureed peas may not actually make the best first food for baby.

This is because peas may cause gas in some babies (and in some adults, too!) – so, if you’d like to wait until a little later to introduce peas, why not visit our Best First Food for Baby Section to find some other great ideas to try right now!

Canned peas are also widely available, although they tend to be unsuitable for use in your baby food recipes as they usually contain salt or sugar. Processed – or marrowfat – peas are also best avoided as they, too, usually contain salt and have gone through extensive processing, which strips them of many of their nutrients.

Petit pois are simply – if you haven’t guessed by their name – very small garden peas. They are picked whilst young and offer the same nutritious benefits as regular green peas.

Fresh peas are – sadly – less widely available. They are sold unshelled, in their pods, with several peas to a pod. Different varieties include snow peas/mange tout and sugar snap peas, which differ from regular (garden) peas because they are eaten whole – pods and all – before they are fully mature.

Choosing and cooking peas for your baby

Frozen peas are very easy to cook – simply steam them until tender or just boil a little water in a saucepan, add the peas, then cook until they return to the boil.

Fresh peas, however, require a little more work!

If you’re lucky enough to find fresh peas at your local market, choose vibrant, mid-green velvety pods and avoid those that are too light, too dark or speckled. The pod should rattle just a little when you shake it – if it rattles too much, the peas will not be as plump as they should be.

Now, we recommend using fresh peas on the day you buy them, as their taste will be at its best. If not, then be sure to store the peas in the fridge – heat changes the sugars in the peas into starch, so they won’t be anywhere near as sweet if stored unrefrigerated.

TO SHELL PEAS…

Always shell peas JUST BEFORE you are ready to use them.

Wash them, snap off the top and the bottom of the pod, then pull off the ‘string’ along the seam. Open the pod and use your thumb to remove the peas. If you have older children, this is a job you can delegate to them… kids love podding peas!

Although your newly shelled peas have been protected by their pods, we still recommend giving them an extra wash before using them in your baby food recipes.

TIP: When you purchase fresh peas in their pods, buy one pound of pea pods for every cup of shelled peas you need.

TO COOK FRESH PEAS…

Steam them or boil them in a little water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender.

Readers’ pics…

Yummy Peas!

I love making Marissa’s baby food. The colors of the foods are much brighter than jarred baby food. Thanks to this website I can help give her only the best!

Jazmin – Lawrenceville, GA

TO MAKE A PEA PUREE FOR BABY…

Simply blitz the cooked peas in a food processor, with a little of the cooking water or even a little homemade vegetable or chicken broth if desired.

Pea puree can be difficult to get completely smooth, because the little bits of the skin tend to be rather stubborn! We’ve never had much success with using a hand blender to puree peas – our Magic Bullet has been the best tool for this, although the peas have to be pureed in small batches and STILL don’t come out 100% smooth.

The best way around the problem is to pass the puree through a very fine mesh strainer, which should filter out even the tiniest bits. Or use this tip from Andrea, one of our visitors…

I was able to get a smooth puree without straining by using a blender on the fastest setting and letting it run for two mintues or so. Add a little water so it really gets moving and the skins will puree.

Peas as a finger food

Cooked peas can make a wonderful finger food for older babies – a bowl of cooked peas would keep our little ones occupied for ages and our eldest daughter loved them so much that – when we introduced corn kernels – she would only eat them when we told her they were yellow peas!

And green peas are FUN… try using them to create a smiley face on a bowl of veggie puree, for example!

Delicious as they are, uncooked fresh peas are not a suitable finger food for babies. They are too hard and would present a choking hazard – save these sweet treats until your child is older and equipped with enough teeth to chew them effectively!

Pea baby food recipes

Fresh or frozen peas can be added to your baby’s food with ease – just toss a handful into soups, stews or casseroles a few minutes before the end of the cooking time (or around 10 minutes before for fresh peas).

OR…

Give these yummy ‘peas baby food recipes’ a try!

Readers’ pics…

Peas to please, indeed!

My Sofia is 7 months old and she enjoys eating a variety of veggies and fruits. She loves this Pea, Carrot, and Leek Puree – for the flavor, for the texture, and for the taste! This site has helped me a lot in preparing healthy meals for my baby! Thank you and keep it up! 🙂

Place the carrot, leek and rosemary sprig in a saucepan and just cover with water or stock Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the peas and cook until all the veggies are tender. Remove the rosemary sprig, then puree the vegetables in a food processor until smooth.

Put the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water or stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Add the sweet potato dice and cook for a further 3 mins. Add the peas and cook for 2 mins more, until the chicken is cooked through. To make a puree: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ingredients to a food processor. Add the sage and blend until smooth, using some of the stock to thin the mixture if desired. Alternatively, add the sage and mash to the perfect texture for your baby.

Saute the leek in olive oil for around 5 minutes, until tender. Add the chicken/vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the peas and the chopped mint. Return to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the peas are tender. Transfer to a food processor and puree, passing through a strainer if any small pieces of skin remain.

Peas baby Food Recipes – Baked Potato ‘n Peas (7 months+)

Bake a potato in its skin until tender. Halve lengthways, scoop out the flesh from the skins and mash with a blob of butter, a little milk (breast milk or formula is fine) and a teaspoon of chopped, fresh chives. Add 2 teaspoons of cooked peas, stir well, then spoon the mixture back into the potato skins. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese, then place under the grill (broiler) until the cheese has melted and turned golden.

Saute the onions, garlic and ginger in a lidded frying pan/skillet until tender. Add the turmeric, cumin and butternut squash dice and stir until the squash is coated. Pour in the water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender (10-15 mins). Add the peas, stir and re-cover. Cook for a further 5 mins until the water has been absorbed (if the mixture looks too dry, add a little more water). Mash and serve with cooked brown rice.

More Useful Tips and Ideas…

Readers’ pics…

Thank you so much for your wonderful, and easy to make recipes for babies. Your site is like my bible, to make baby food for my son Wade Andrew. He is now 8 1/2 months old, so this picture was taken a few months ago, but I absolutely love this shot of him. He loves your recipes, is growing like a weed as a result, and we couldn’t be more proud, or happier!